Acceptance

You see, it may be hard to believe that when you’re 17 and a senior in high school and you make the announcement that you are getting married everyone around you holds the applause. Not one person, besides your older sister who loves you dearly and sees deep within your heart, gives you a congratulations. Actually, you often get the pitiful look and questions from all around. By questions, I mean: 

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Isn’t there anything that could keep you from settling down so young?” 

“Aren’t you going to miss being a single girl in college?”

“Do you know the statistics?”

And, let me tell you, I am not an emotional girl and I can NOT wear my heart on my sleeve. Or, at least, I couldn’t until now. 

You see, I crave to be accepted. I crave to hear someone, anyone, tell me they support me and find me brilliant. I crave to have someone smile at me and tell me how wonderful and beautiful marriage is, not how much of a prison it is. 

I crave to have someone hug me and wish me the best instead of the worst. I crave to be able to stand proud without having words constantly thrown at me. I crave to have my decision respected and my heart understood and heard. Overall, I crave for my parents to be proud of me and supportive as I take the next step into the rest of my life. 

To most, this may be a mistake, but to me it’s reality, and it’s love.